TRIED FOR CONSPIRACY |
JUZGADOS POR CONSPIRACIÓN |
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The trial opened June 3, 1918. Because of the feeling that had been manifested in our preliminary hearings we filed affidavits showing why we believed Judge Garvin was biased against us. This automatically transferred the case to Judge Chatfield, but Since there was no qualified judge without bias and prejudice who wanted to try the case, United States District Judge Harland B. Howe was brought in from Vermont to preside. This was the same Judge Howe mentioned by O'Brien in the letter I referred to earlier. |
El juicio comenzó el 3 de junio de 1918. Debido al sentimiento que se había manifestado en las audiencias preliminares, presentamos recusaciones exponiendo nuestras razones para creer que el juez Garvin tenía prejuicios contra nosotros. Automáticamente se transfirió el caso al juez Chatfield, pero en vista de que no había ningún juez capacitado y sin prejuicios que quisiera hacerse cargo, el juez de distrito de los Estados Unidos Harland B. Howe vino de Vermont a presidirlo. Este era el mismo juez Howe mencionado en la carta de O ‘Brian de la que he hablado antes. |
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So, while it was known to the Government that Howe had special prejudice in favor of the prosecution of the law and against the defendants charged with violating it, it was not known to us. But we were not left long in the dark. From the first conference of the attorneys in the judge's chambers before the trial began his animosity was manifested, and he indicated, "I'm going to give these defendants all that is coming to them." However, it was now too late for our attorneys to file an affidavit of prejudice on the part of the judge. |
De modo que, aunque el Gobierno estaba al tanto de que Howe estaba especialmente predispuesto a favor del endurecimiento de la ley y en contra de los acusados de infringirla, nosotros lo ignorábamos. Pero esta ignorancia no duró mucho. Ya en la primera reunión con los fiscales en su despacho antes que comenzara el juicio, se hizo patente su animosidad, cuando aseveró: “Les voy a dar a estos acusados todo su merecido.” Sin embargo, ya era demasiado tarde para que nuestros abogados presentaran otra recusación por prejuicios por parte del juez. |
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Our indictment was in four counts, each count charging a separate and distinct offense under different parts of the statute. This statute, known as the espionage Law, was enacted June 15, 1917, and was strictly a war measure. It would be impossible to violate it when the country is at peace. |
Se nos acusaba de cuatro cargos, constituyendo cada uno de ellos un delito independiente contra distintas secciones del estatuto. Este estatuto, conocido como Ley de Espionaje, se promulgó el 15 de junio de 1917 exclusivamente como medida de guerra. Sería imposible transgredirlo en tiempos de paz. |
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The indictment as originally returned charged that a conspiracy was entered into some time between April 6, 1917 the date the United States declared war, and the sixth day of May, 1918. Upon motion the Government specified the date of the alleged offense as between June 15, 1917 and May 6, 1918. |
La acusación original afirmaba que se había formado una conspiración en algún momento entre el 6 de abril de 1917, el día en que Estados Unidos declaró la guerra, y el 6 de mayo de 1918. Al serle requerido, el Gobierno concretó la fecha del presunto delito entere el 15 de junio de 1917 y el 6 de mayo de 1918. |
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A conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to commit an unlawful act. At the trial the Government contended that The Finished Mystery was written and published designedly to hinder the United States in raising an army and prosecuting the war and that the defendants had written letters to members of the Society within draft age that interfered with the raising of an army. |
Una conspiración es un acuerdo entre dos o más personas para cometer un acto ilegal. Durante la vista el Gobierno sostuvo que El misterio terminado se escribió y se publicó con el propósito específico de obstaculizar el reclutamiento efectuado en los Estados Unidos para continuar la guerra, y que los acusados habían dirigido cartas a miembros de la Sociedad en edad de alistarse a fin de, entorpecer su reclutamiento en el ejército. |
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The Finished Mystery was offered in evidence by the Government and portions of it read, particularly the preface, pages 247-252, 406, 407, and 469. The Government counsel contended that these pages were designedly hidden in different parts of the book for the purpose of getting a person interested in some other part of the book and then influencing him by the statements concerning war; that publishing the book, The Bible Students Monthly and The Watch Tower, as well as writing letters to conscientious objectors, all were overt acts in carrying out the conspiracy. |
Presentaron como evidencia el propio libro El misterio terminado y se leyeron algunas porciones de él, en particular el prefacio y las páginas 247-252, 406, 407, y 469. El fiscal afirmaba que esas páginas se habían ocultado intencionadamente en diferentes partes del libro a fin de atraer el interés de las personas a las otras secciones e influenciarles mediante las declaraciones relacionadas con la guerra. También sostuvo que la publicación de esa obra, junto con el Bible Students Monthly y La Torre del Vigía, así como el envío de cartas a los objetores de conciencia, eran actos manifiestos del desarrollo de la conspiración. |
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On June 10 Mr. Eland, Special Assistant
Attorney General, as prosecutor for the Government, said: [79] "The
Government rests, if your Honor please, except for some motions."
Judge Howe asked: "Now, have you introduced some evidence
tending to show some act of each of the defendants are in
furtherance of this alleged conspiracy?" |
El 10 de junio, el señor Oeland, ayudante
especial del ministro de Justicia, actuando como fiscal de la
acusación, indicó: [79] |
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"As to Rutherford and Van Amburgh, I am clear about, and the two defendants who wrote the seventh volume I am clear about them, Woodworth and Fisher. Now, as to the defendant De Cecca, who was the one who wrote these letters, I am clear about him, and Martin, who was the manager, I am clear about him, and Robinson. That leaves Mr. Macmillan." |
– En cuanto a Rutherford y Van Amburgh, tengo la certeza, y también respecto a los autores del séptimo tomo, Woodworth y Fisher. Después, respecto al acusado DeCecca, quien escribió esas cartas, también está claro, así como Martin, que era el gerente, y Robinson. Eso nos deja solo con el señor Macmillan. |
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"As to Mr. Macmillan," Eland replied, "there
is a check in evidence which the witness, Mr. Conkey, said was
in payment of the books, of these books, [that check being]
countersigned by Mr. Macmillan; then the additional fact
testified to by the first woman witness, Mrs. Campbell, that
Macmillan was the general manager in the absence of Mr.
Rutherford, attending to the correspondence in Mr. Rutherford's
absence. As I recall it, she testified that Macmillan was the
general manager and he was Mr. Rutherford's assistant, that is
what she said, and acted whenever he was absent. Some testimony
was given by that same witness, Mr. Hudgings, that in
Rutherford's absence he took — he ran the whole place in
Rutherford's absence." |
– En cuanto al señor Macmillan –respondió
Oeland–, existe la evidencia de un cheque que, según el testigo,
el señor Conkey, estaba destinado a pagar los libros, estos
libros, refrendado por su firma; además, disponemos del
testimonio adicional de la primera testigo, la señora Campbell,
de que Macmillan era director general en ausencia del señor
Rutherford, ocupándose de su correspondencia cuando él no
estaba. Si no recuerdo mal, ha testificado que Macmillan era el
director general y el ayudante del señor Rutherford; eso ha
dicho, y que estaba al cargo siempre que éste se ausentaba. Este
mismo testigo, el señor Hudgings, también ha declarado que en
ausencia de Rutherford él… que él tomaba riendas cuando
Rutherford no estaba. |
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"That is the only act outside of the fact that I asked this lady and she said in Mr. Rutherford's absence he gave her directions as to what to do in the office and I asked the same fact of Mr. Hudgings. I think I asked her if she had general directions in Mr. Rutherford's absence — " |
– Ese es el único acto, aparte del hecho de que interrogué a esta señora y ella respondió que en ausencia del señor Rutherford era él quien le daba instrucciones respecto al trabajo en la oficina, y lo mismo le pregunté al señor Hudgings. Creo que inquirí de ella si tenía instrucciones generales en ausencia del señor Rutherford… |
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Mr. Fuller, one of our attorneys, interrupted: "I think the testimony is that she understood that he looked after matters in Mr. Rutherford's absence; in respect to the correspondence she said she couldn't say, testified that he sort of helped out. In other words, that she understood he was in a representative capacity, but could not specify with any degree of particularity what character of duties he performed." Judge Howe then said: "If there is no evidence tending to show he conspired, he will be discharged." |
El señor Fuller, uno de nuestros
abogados, le interrumpió: |
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It was then established that the check was turned over in payment on a general open running account for printed literature. Actually, it became apparent that the Government expected to convict me of conspiracy simply on the fact that I had countersigned a check used in part for payment in printing the questionable book, which according to the evidence submitted I might never even have seen before it was published. Then Judge Howe said, "Well, the Government rests. What will the defendants do first?" |
A continuación se demostró que el cheque se ingresó en una cuenta bancaria como pago por la impresión de libros. En realidad, quedó claro que el Gobierno pretendía que fuera condenado por conspiración simplemente por refrendar un cheque que en parte iba a servir como pago de la impresión del libro cuestionable, el cual, de acuerdo con la evidencia presentada, yo ni siquiera había podido ver antes de ser publicado. Entonces el juez Howe dijo: “El Gobierno ha terminado. ¿Qué hará en primer lugar la defensa?” |
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